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Lionheart Hypnobirthing - Courageous Beginnings

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Lionheart Hypnobirthing - Courageous Beginnings

Established by a fully qualified hypnobirthing professional, former midwife and former health visito Expecting? You have the power to take on anything.

This always strikes me as a strange word to associate with pregnancy. After all, the moment you find out you are pregnant, you are flooded with emotions. These can take so many different forms and encompass so much of our past experience, as well as our hopes and plans for the future. Pregnancy might have been planned or unplanned, it might be your first pregnancy or one of several. Perhaps you have had a traumatic time of it before and feel racked with worry; maybe you are filled with excitement and positivity. Whatever you are feeling, because let me be very clear from the outset – every situation and every emotion is valid, that blanket label of ‘expectation’ can be a tricky one to navigate. Here at Lionheart Hypnobirthing we have developed our own hypnobirthing practice based on our training and knowledge of various methods and combined with hands-on experience as a former midwife and health visitor. The Lionheart Hypnobirthing approach treats every pregnancy and parenthood set-up as we find it. We work from a place of compassion and kindness and our soul aim is to deliver a supportive and understanding environment in which you can educate and inform yourself on your body, your pregnancy, your labour and birth, and your baby. We remove expectation from the equation entirely because we know that very few things ever go precisely to plan. We also believe that there is something quite special in recognising and accepting this and preparing for the unexpected, nonetheless. Using our comprehensive professional and personal experience, we have developed and honed a bespoke hypnobirthing practice that celebrates and educates in equal measure. By equipping you with the methodology behind hypnobirthing and why it can make such a positive and powerful difference to pregnancy, childbirth and beyond, we hope to gain your trust and enthusiasm. Our next step is to teach you the practical tools to cope with whatever birth brings you – including the unexpected - courageously and free from fear. We liken this stage to helping parents-to-be step into their power and uncover their roar - helping them to know their options, and be seen and heard. Following a Lionheart Hypnobirthing course, we don’t simply wish you well and wave you on your way, we leave you with a copy of our totally bespoke Lionheart Hypnobirthing Manual to revise and revisit at your leisure. You can even refer to the manual as a visual aid as you begin labour and use it to soothe and encourage you throughout. Finally, we offer the Beyond the Birth Course to guide and reassure you as you take your first steps into parenthood and to support your recovery after giving birth, in addition to our Weaning Course; to fill you will that same calm confidence that you took with you into birth as your baby grows and develops. Ultimately, Lionheart Hypnobirthing operates with one fundamental purpose – we want you to feel strong, empowered and in control during the most monumental time in your life. We want you to start this wonderful journey safe in the knowledge that you have the right to be seen and heard – you have the right to choice and understanding.

10/09/2022

Somebody got a new skull 💀❤️ at the start of the summer hols. Not something we ever thought we’d be saying.

It took 6 months, 2 surgeries, 16 weekly procedures, a 💩-tonne of gumption from Mr. Lionheart and three fabulous surgeons. Thank you and . We are forever grateful.

Here we are celebrating with our zero beers 🍺 🍺 and Phils recovery in pictures.

Let the “real” rehab begin ❤️.

23/07/2022

What do I want to tell you about today? It’s not very exciting or maybe what you want to hear….but everything that’s “worth it”, takes time. Usually a truck load of time. And then some.

Quick fixes, as far as I can see, don’t work or don’t last.

I’m a very patient person. I also have a big heart ❤️ and compassion for others spilling out of me. My husband has a very high tolerance level and can stick most things out. And Sam is following in our footsteps. But my goodness, our situation has taken a crazy amount of perseverance, tiny (sometimes minute) steps towards Phils/our family’s long term goals, trust in the process, patience with one another in bucketloads and lots of support from our loved ones.

There is no quick fix to achieving the “great things” in life. Hang on in there. Even if you are literally creeping forwards at a snails 🐌 pace….that is still progress. Even if things seem to slow down, stop, change direction or even take a step backwards ….keep on taking those tiny baby steps towards your goals. One tiny step at a time. You will get there. Hang on in.

These two ⬆️ have so worked hard at their relationship over the last year since Phil came home. I remember posting a picture back in August 2021 and writing “becoming best friends again”. Well, it was far from plain sailing since that photo but we have never given up. They may need reminders and prompting, but their relationship with one another is too important for them to let it slip away. It’s taken a lot of time, gentle encouragement (no forcing things…that has the opposite effect imo) and little steps. And here they are enjoying their “first” kiss 😘 😚.

I love them both dearly ❤️ ❤️ ❤️.

28/06/2022

The Akehursts have been growing and expanding in more ways than we expected.
Stage two of Phil’s cranio reconstruction is nearing completion.

25/05/2022

This week marks national epilepsy awareness week.

Phil’s diagnosis of acquired epilepsy has been one of the most difficult to come to terms with as a family.

His brain injury is like a big cloud that lingers over our house; life is very different for us now than it used to be. His brain injury makes everything harder, but it can be manageable with lots of adjustments made by us. His epilepsy, however, is very different; it feels like a hurricane that rips through the house without warning. And the fear it creates never ceases in anticipation of the next one.

I learnt all about epilepsy as a student midwife. When I imagined a seizure back then, I imagined someone convulsing (shaking) on the floor. What I (ignorantly) did not think about was HOW that person got on the floor. Ignorance is bliss eh?

What you might not know, and what, very sadly, I have come to realise is that it’s the injury caused by the fall that is usually the most devastating rather than the seizure itself. Phil has tonic clonic seizures (there are many different types of seizure). Tonic clonic means that he stiffens and goes unconscious (tonic) without warning, before dropping to the floor and convulsing (clonic).

For us, this means you can be happily eating croissants 🥐 for breakfast one minute at the breakfast bar, and the next all the breakfast dishes and contents are smashed all over the floor marking the arrival of the hurricane, as was our reality most recently.

I’ve learnt to support phil during a seizure. Swipe through for some general guidance for if you see someone having a seizure.

The hardest part for me is after the seizure has ended; as I wait for him to come round (it usually takes about an hour for him to be semi conscious) and then asses what injuries he has sustained and any impact on his neurology post seizure. It’s gut wrenching.

Epilepsy has destroyed our sense of peace and Phil’s freedom and independence. Im hoping that with time we will learn to live alongside the epilepsy, but we’re not there yet and for the moment we are living on a knife edge.

I’d be very grateful if you could look at the epilepsy management pics I’ve put on ❤️❤️❤️

05/05/2022

My garden is my favourite room in our house 🏡❤️🪴Do you remember when I posted back in autumn when I was planting my spring bulbs? I talked about hope & how, for me, planting bulbs is a key sign of hope: Preparation for a bright and colourful spring 🌸🌱 that may, or may not, come about.

We can make plans for our garden & our life, but then life comes along with it’s own plans regardless.

I thought perhaps the bulbs may rot with the heavy rain, or a mild winter might cause them to sprout too early, or I may plant them too deep or too shallow. The possibility for things to not turn out how i hoped was numerous. But, in the end something happened to them that I had not expected: a bloody squirrel 🐿 dug up nearly every single one & placed their winter food in its place 🙄

Our job as gardeners & in life in general, is to continue, despite the very real reality that our bulbs & our life may not ensue like we except them to. I’m enjoying my garden regardless, & will learn from Mr/Mrs Squirrel & tuck them away next time.

Another thing that I previously wouldn’t want to admit is that “suffering”, I’ve realised, is an everyday part of life. Yes, we might try hard to avoid it, but each and every one of us will go through suffering in our lifetime and it usually cannot be avoided.

Quite a few of my loved ones are going through difficult times right night: complex and uncertain fertility treatments, expected and unexpected bereavements, medical diagnosis’ and treatments. And The Akehurst’s are very much in a chronic and very long term stressful situation.

What I’m noticing with my own life, and with others’ close to me, is it’s finding moments of joy to help carry me through the difficult times. Sometimes even snippets of joy. But noticing and enjoying them however fleeting they may be.

Today, in amongst health appointments, Phil and I enjoyed an ice cream 🍦(me) and a cappuccino ☕️ (him) at a cafe sat in the sun ☀️ and then I planted my summer perennial seeds…let’s see what happens to them! It doesn’t change our situation but these small moments of joy help sustain us and lighten us ready for whatever may come our way.

Love Rachel, Phil & Sam x

24/03/2022

“It doesn't matter how long this takes, or how hard it is, we'll do it together”.

This month is Brain Injury Awareness month. With this Saturday also being Wear It Purple Day (Global Epilepsy Awareness).

I think it’s important that we share with you the highs & lows of OUR journey. I would be doing phil (& all other brain injury & epilepsy survivors) an enormous disservice if we *just* showcased our wins. Yes, I know some of these photos aren’t very “nice”, but this our journey & it’s long, messy & uncertain. It’s the reality of life with a significant brain injury. (I have chosen to put what might be described as a more “positive” photo first, so you can choose whether to scroll through or not).

Phil has had his 1st surgery. His cranio reconstruction will take about 4 months. We were supposed to stay 1 night after this 1st op. Five days later (I only packed enough un**es for 2 nights 😬& my back was like a question mark after sleeping in a chair for so long) we were scratching at the walls to get out and back to our little boy and our own bed (note the bleary eyed photo of us both). It was a long slog, with a few extra unexpected hurdles, but Aintree Hospital staff took exceptional care of us. Thank you.

Phil will embark on x8 procedures over the next 2 months as part of his tissue expansion, before his cranioplasty in the summer.

It’s a strange feeling. To re-enter into uncertainty knowingly this time and I’m drawing on every reserve of courage &strength within me & my loved ones to carry us through.

I’ve been watching over the last few days. Did you see it? Marlon had a stroke which is a brain injury of a different cause than Phil’s. Nevertheless, watching Marlon’s injury unfold & the early days, mirrored so much of Phil’s recovery in those early weeks and months. I’ve been watching with a lump in my throat. And I finally caught up with - Caring for Derek with huge sobs & pain in my heart for all of them & us & those all over the world in family crisis.

So, here is the most recent part of our journey. I’ll share the next when it feels right.

Love Rachel, Phil & Sam x

Post shared with Phil’s consent ❤️

20/02/2022

Happy Sunday 👋

I vanished down a black hole 🕳 to protect my mental health and have been struggling with how to bring things up to speed on here.

I’ve always struggled with social media…. Post a smiley happy picture like this one here and it masks over the true complexities of life, or, try explaining the complexities of life and the word limit prevents that 🤷‍♀️.

Recovery from brain injury is rarely straightforward or quick unfortunately. I was told this very early on. The brain 🧠 is the most intricate and complex organ and so takes the longest to recover out of any organ in the body. We’re on a marathon not a sprint.

We’re developing skills of patience in bucketloads 😅😵‍💫 as a result.

I have been applying my hypnobirthing knowledge throughout this journey. What you might not know (I certainly didn’t) was that there are various known stages of brain injury recovery, and when I was told by a professional that one particular stage for phil was “lasting too long” and “he should be out of this stage by now” I was able to tap into and apply my wisdom about labour stages and the fallacy of timing them, to keep myself calm and trust in Phil’s body. That Phil’s body knew what to do, that it was unique and so not comparable to anyone else’s recovery and that timeframes are guidelines…not tablets of stone. This wasn’t always easy and doubt would consume me at times. But, faith is the antidote to fear, and I work hard internally to tune into my faith. I’ve also started working with a psychologist to help me tune in to my inner knowing and it has been really good for me.

I plan to remain in my black hole 🕳 because it’s good for me, and will check in again when it feels right.

Love to you all ❤️

Rachel x

24/12/2021

Team Akehurst doing 23rd of December on their terms this year.

Love and best wishes to you all this Christmas 🎄

21/12/2021

Hell….I don’t even have a matching set of pyjamas 🙀😂😬

But seriously, I have everything I need right here. We can conquer mountains 🏔 together.

Have a wonderfully average Christmas everyone! That is all you need. Christmas does not need to be “perfect” to be magical. You and the people around you are the magic…not the “things”.

And, if you have a brain like mine, here’s some reminders:

🎅 You don’t have to do a “Christmas clean” of your house, unless you really want to of course. Father Christmas does not give a s**t what your kitchen looks like or if you’ve hoovered your lounge lately. How else could you use that time for you?
🎅 You also don’t have to have freshly coloured hair and painted nails to have a great Christmas, again… unless YOU really want this. You are enough just as you are.
🎅 You don’t need matching pyjamas (or matching anything for that matter)
🎅 Christmas is for everyone, not just the little people. Your needs needs to be honoured too. How can you get your needs met?
🎅 You can’t please everyone.
🎅 You are doing great. We’ve done 2 years in a pandemic now. This s**t is hard. Go easy on yourself. And others.
🎅 Christmas is a very emotionally charged time. Everyone brings there own expectations to the table, often without telling other people what they want or need but expecting them to be met anyway. Cue ARGUMENTS and disappointment 😂😂😂🤷‍♀️. Again, you can’t please everyone but we can try to be patient and kind and appreciate that others don’t see the world as we do.
🎅 If it all goes t**s up, remember that Christmas is a season and spans a good 2weeks. Not just one day. And if it all goes to the s**tter, you get another one next year 😉

Glad tidings to you and your (perfectly imperfect and messy) kin 🎅🎅🎄.

17/12/2021

Christmas feels very weird for us this year. As we enter Christmas week & are very close to the anniversary of the accident, I want to hide away in with my jumbled emotions.

This year, we will not be “making up for last year”. WE HAD a Christmas last year. It was utter dogs**t, but it happened. And I don’t want the added pressure of making this one super special so it will be cornflakes for breakfast as per every other day. It will be special just because it is. No bells & whistles needed.

Anyway, putting the decorations away last year was perhaps one of the most torturous things I have ever done. The reason being was that our fate was not yet known. Phil was still comatosed and not waking up, even though the drugs keeping him that way had now been withdrawn.

Would he live or die? Would he even wake up? If he did wake up, what would his brain function be like?

All of this was still unknown. But “Christmas Rachel 2020” knew damn well that “Christmas Rachel 2021” would know her fate; that the next time she saw these decorations, this fate would be out there.

I rang a very loved friend to discuss this, and she assured me that, whatever happened, the Christmas decorations (which hold so many emotions and memories) never had to see the light of day again. If things didn’t go as hoped, they could remain in the loft for eternity. This brought a strange amount of comfort.

The way I remember it, Rachel 2020 grabbed & stuffed all the decorations away haphazardly & threw them in the loft.

I was surprised when I re-opened them that they were quite neatly put away. The window lights roughly labelled as to which window they fit. The more special baubles wrapped in newspaper.

I think Rachel 2020 was looking after Rachel 2021 in some small way. Knowing that Christmas might be unbearable this year & so trying to help her out a little.

I have kept a timeline of events since the day of the accident. As I look back over the events of Christmas last year & beyond, it will bring all those emotions again. The difference being that I can do it from a place of safety this year, because I know the outcome. So, I will look back, but only as a means to move forward.

♥️

08/12/2021

The Akehursts. Established 08.12.12

And on our biggest adventure yet.

Happy anniversary sweetheart ❤️💒🤵‍♂️👰🏻‍♀️

I got a bit choked with emotion today.

07/11/2021

Here's me in my garden today. My happy place. It was bright and breezy....perfect weather conditions for getting the garden winter ready and preparing the pots for spring bulbs.

And, for me, potting up my bulbs ⚘🌷 is all about hope. A belief that something good is coming in the future. One of my affirmations throughout all of this is "better days are coming". It keeps me focused.

My bulbs may bloom in May. But there is a chance the frost or heavy rain may get them first 🤷‍♀️. Either way, I've prepared them as best I can, I'll keep my eye on them, then it's in the hands of the gods.

Hope can be an emotion....a kind of serendipitous wish for better times. This was me at the start of all of this, just hoping/wishing/praying for a good outcome but actually having no control over it.

But these days hope can also be a way to purposely motivate ourselves into action for a better future. I remind this to Phil each time we do his rehab activities: "no effort is ever wasted", "effort is always rewarded", "your future is in part decided by today".

It can feel scary to hope....because what if it doesn't happen? Sometimes it can feel downright impossible to feel hopeful when the 💩 has really hit the fan. And that's OK too. There were times when I would simultaneously plan the songs for Phil's funeral, AND imagine renewing our wedding 💑 vows together. A friend of mine, who has walked a similar path to me 9 months earlier, kindly told me this is totally normal. And it is. Our minds roam here, there, everywhere. I try my best to come back to hope, purely and simply because it feels better.

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